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Two provinces of Georgia – Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region – are illegally occupied by Russia. They comprise about one fifth of Georgia’s territory. Russia has between eight and ten thousand of its regular troops with heavy weaponry permanently stationed in these occupied Georgian territories. Most of the local Georgian population has been ethnically cleansed.

Since 2008, the United Nations General Assembly has been adopting annual resolutions supporting the right of return of the people violently forced to leave their homes in the Russian-occupied Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region.

On 1 February 2016 forces of the Yemeni Al Qaeda (AQAP) captured the town of Azzan in southern Yemen from the Yemeni government.

While the government of Yemen and the Sunni coalition led by Saudi Arabia that supports it fight against Iranian-backed Houthis, Al Qaeda is trying to make gains in the government’s lightly protected rear.

The two powers have reached preliminary agreement on the subject on 18 December 2015.

Several years ago Turkey chose to oppose Israel in order to gain legitimacy in the Muslim world to be better positioned to spread its influence there – the same reason why Iran is opposing Israel since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

Now, however, Turkey finds itself embroiled in the fierce confrontation in Syria against Iran and Russia. As a result, Turkey improved its relations with Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies, who also find themselves engaged in geopolitical struggle against Iran. Normalization of relations with Israel (at least, for the time being) is the next logical step for Turkey.

It was announced on 25 November 2015 that US keep increasing military financial aid to Philippines, which already is one of the largest recipients of American military aid in East Asia.

Though an island nation, Philippines has no real fighting navy or air force, which renders it virtually helpless in the face of China’s territorial ambitions. US military aid won;t be able to change this reality quickly, but it obviously pushes into that direction.

Philippines is one of the key American allies in the geopolitical game unfolding between US and China in the Indo-Pacific Region.

On 25 November 2015 Ukraine announced it is closing its air space to all Russian planes, whether civilian or military. It also announced it stops buying Russian natural gas.

While the front line in Ukraine has stabilized for now, thus no more attracting much attention from the Western media, the confrontation between Russia and Ukraine, including military one, is still very much on.